Learning Expressions

Video Blog: Birthday Boxes at Learning Express

Greetings, Learning Expressions Readers!

This week, we’re putting the spotlight on Learning Express Birthday Boxes. What are Birthday Boxes, you
may ask? Well, they’re like a wedding registry – but for kids. Instead of picking out crock pots and blenders at Crate and Barrel, kids head over to Learning Express Toys and fill up a box with anything and everything their hearts desire. Then, when friends and family wonder what to get Sally or Siegfried or Elliot or Ethel for their birthdays, they can just head over to Learning Express and select something from the bountiful box-o-toys. And to top things off, the toys are gift wrapped for free. Now that’s what I call birthdays made easy!

This week I particularly wanted to share with you a brilliant Birthday Box video created by Pedro at our Learning Express of Wilmington, NC store. Not all stores will run their Birthday Box programs in the exact same way, so be sure to check out your local Learning Express store’s spin on the Birthday Box!  

 

Talk to you again soon!

Blog: Successful Potty Trainers Tell All

Dear Learning Expressions Readers,

Where did the time go? I know I might sound trite, but honestly, it feels like only yesterday that I brought  my first son home from the hospital. I remember pushing the stroller through the park shortly after he was born and seeing all the gigantic kids running around the playground. They could catch balls, climb to the top of the jungle gym, and build sandcastles. My little 8-pound newborn nestled and sleeping in his infant seat just seemed like a completely different species from these agile, wild creatures running around us. It felt like it would be just forever until my baby would be big and able enough to do what they could do. I was glad to have my sweet, innocent bundle – a bundle that was far away from talking back or dashing into streets after flying Frisbees.

In a blink of an eye though, my big guy is quickly heading toward his third birthday and can now do
all 
those things I observed those “big” kids doing that day at the park so long ago. My toddler looks hardly anything like that newborn I once held. But, I really don’t have time to be sad about it because we are about to embark on that momentous learning event of early childhood – potty training!

We haven’t officially started (we are waiting for school to be out next week), so as of now my only experience in this field comes from housebreaking my dachshund. So, I’ve enlisted the help of some incredible moms (Thank you, Marissa, Emily, Beth, Lori, Diane, Nicky, Kristin, Betsy, Ellie, Sara, Mary, Hillary, and Christi!) who have each recently potty trained their child. I asked each for their number one potty training tip and compiled a list in their own words. I hope you find this advice as helpful as I do!

 1.      Don’t Rush It

"ŸIf you find that potty training is taking a long, long time, it might not be time. Take a break from it to regroup, and try again in a couple weeks. We tried for months with no success and gave up. Suddenly one day our daughter decided it was time she was potty trained, and it literally happened over night. Let the timing be the child’s decision."

 2.      Bribery Does Not Work

"Flat out bribery failed for us. We tried all sorts of bribery techniques (stickers, books, toys, videos), but nothing worked. It just kept escalating to bigger and bigger ticket items without success. All it did was get our kid to think, 'Wow, I’ve got them wrapped around my finger, and I’m never giving this up!'"

3.      Bribery Works Miracles

"To be perfectly honest, candy was one of the only things that truly worked."

 "Find the right currency for your kid – what gets him or her really motivated? For our son, the carrot-and-the-stick wasn’t candy or sticker charts. We had to really up the ante. In the end it was a giant orange garbage truck that spurred our guy to potty train." 

 4.      Utilize Peer Pressure

"There can be a good side to peer pressure! Once our daughter’s friends were all potty trained, she couldn’t stand using diapers anymore, and that was the end of that!"

 5.      Let Them Sit a Bit in Their Own Mess

ŸDon’t be too quick to change them out of their messy clothes after they’ve had an accident. The discomfort really helps move the process along.

 6.      Bring Extra Everything If You Must Go Out

"ŸPack at least two changes of clothes, including extra socks and shoes (yes, the pee gets down that far!), plus plenty of wipes."

7.      Don’t Listen to Grandma and Grandpa

Ÿ"They might try to tell you that in their day, all kids were out of diapers by the time they could sit up. Pay no attention!"

8.      Have Elmo Give Your Kid a Call

"After every successful toilet episode, I would secretly text my mother-in-law. That was her signal to call
our house and pretend to be Elmo. Elmo congratulated our toddler with great gusto. This did the trick."

 

9.      Let Your Kid Pick Out the Underwear

"Take them to the store and make a really big deal about how they get to choose their own underwear. This gives them ownership and helps get them excited about ditching the diapers forever."

10.    Big Praise

"We danced and sang and partied every time our son was successful."

Ÿ "We called dad at the office after every success, and he helped to sing the praises."

11.    Don’t Compare Kids

 "There is such a wide range of when kids are ready to potty train, more than any other skill I’ve seen."

Ÿ "Don’t fall prey to the pressure that everybody else’s kids are potty trained and we should be too."

12.    Accept the Fact That You Have No Control

Ÿ"Realize that going to the bathroom is one of the few things (along with sleeping and eating) that your child has COMPLETE control over."

Ÿ "We tried everything and nothing worked. Finally, we gave up the power struggle, shrugged, and said, 'Fine, you can be 8 and still not trained, and we don’t care.' Bang, it happened."

 ---------------------------

I love this list so much but have to chuckle at some of the contradictions in advice. It makes me realize that there is simply not a cookie-cutter solution for every child and every family. I look forward to writing more about this topic once we’re through the other side and are potty-training veterans.

Bye for now!

A Toy Review for You: Loopdedoo

Greetings Learning Expressions Readers!

Over the past few weeks, “Loopdedoo” chat has started circulating around the home office. Come to find out, this oddly familiar word is not a reference to the frustratingly addictive children’s song “Here We Go Loop de Loop” but rather a tool for making fabulous twisted accessories. Frankly, I just assumed one of my coworkers had spread the catchy ditty around the office in an attempt to catch colleagues humming under their breath on the way to meetings.

No sooner was I becoming acquainted with what the Loopdedoo was than I was being asked to evaluate it based on our “form, function, and fun” toy review model. My initial “Oh, awesome!” was quickly replaced by an “Oh no!” as I recalled my earlier attempts at bracelet-making, which, not to be dramatic, were basically a demoralizing amalgamation of twine, tangles, and tears.

But you know what? After I suspended my fear of fine motor craft kits and wrapped my head around the basic techniques of the Loopdedoo, I made a bracelet that I actually wanted to wear! And the fact that I made this Loopdie without speed dialing Sandie (resident Learning Express arts and crafts guru), makes the Loopdedoo my all-time favorite jewelry-making kit. It also makes me feel confident that your child will soon be looping and loving it!

Form

The sturdy Loopdedoo package contains 18 skeins of vibrant embroidery floss, one Loopdedoo spinning tool, two alligator clips which can be used for making longer accessories such as belts, and instructions. The Loopdedoo features kid-powered looping knobs and a convenient drawer for storing materials. The tool seems very durable and there is an extensive array of thread colors ranging from black and white, to hot pink, to sea foam green. The full-color instruction booklet presents the various looping styles and offers step-by-step guidance with many illustrations. The only tool you’ll need that’s not included is a pair of scissors.

Function

Instructions prompt users to choose one of four looping styles. Each style requires a different technique and the styles are presented by level of difficulty. Naturally, I chose the easiest style listed, the “Color Block.” 

The booklet breaks it down into more detail, but before you can start turning the knobs and “looping” your bracelet there are some setup steps:

1. Choose your desired colors, bundle them together, and double knot them around one of the hooks on the Loopdedoo.
2.  Wrap your thread bundle around the opposite hook and back to the original several times to create the “core” of your bracelet. The more you wrap, the thicker your bracelet will be.
3. If you wrapped three times (which I did) you’ll need to measure four additional lengths for your looping thread (the thread wrapped around the core to make those eye-popping patterns). One length is the distance between the two hooks.
4. Cut the thread after you’ve measured the amount you’ll need for looping.

Confused yet? Well I was for a few minutes, but setting up the Loopdedoo is much easier than it sounds the first time you read the instructions. The package says that you can create a bracelet in about ten minutes, and after you conquer the learning curve, a ten-minute bracelet on your second try is not far-fetched.

Fun

As I started spinning the thread around the core, I started smiling. My bracelet emerged quickly and smoothly, right before my eyes. I started feeling more creative as I established a color pattern. The Loopdedoo did most of the wrapping work for me; I just had to make minor positioning adjustments as I went along. And discovering those little tricks to success is actually part of what made this project so much fun.

Because the Loopdedoo is kid-powered, crafters feel a real sense of connection to their jewelry (a machine isn’t automatically spinning your bracelet, you are spinning it). And there’s an undeniable sense of pride that goes along with cutting your first Loopdie from the hook and sizing it on your wrist. Kids can create cool, wearable pieces of art. The Loopdedoo is also a perfect sleepover activity. One child could be choosing her bracelet colors while another starts spinning. There is a dazzling array of thread colors which makes Loopdedoo a perfect craft for boys and girls alike. Boys may be more interested in spinning backpack pulls and bracelets with their favorite team’s colors and girls may opt for patterned bracelets and necklace designs.

So there you have it, readers, an arts and crafts product that leaves even inexperienced users beaming with accomplishment instead of sulking over mangled balls of string (not that I’ve ever experienced that firsthand). 

Happy Loopdie-making! 

Reading With a Wild Thing: Therapy Dogs, Children, and Literacy

Greetings Learning Expressions Readers,

As many of you are no doubt aware, yesterday marked the passing of beloved children’s book author Maurice Sendak. Made famous by the likes of Where the Wild Things Are and The Night Kitchen, Sendak baulked at the assumption that children should be condescended to in literature. “You cannot write for children...they're much too complicated,” he observed. “You can only write books that are of interest to them.” Whoever his intended audience, Sendak’s books have captured the imaginations of young people for generations. 

Perhaps fittingly (or unfittingly, as Sendak might have argued) the first week of May also marks the national celebration of Children’s Book Week.  Established in 1919 to celebrate the transformative power of reading, Children's Book Week is now the longest-running literacy initiative in the country. With this in mind, it seemed appropriate to focus this week’s blog on children and literature. While in the past we’ve brought you recommendations on classics we love and not-to-be-missed children’s series, this week we thought we’d focus on something a little more, well, wild. 

Now before I go any farther, I have to admit to you that I have spent a lot of time over the last couple of weeks daydreaming about dogs. Why, you may wonder? Well, a mere four days ago my husband and I became proud puppy parents for the first time. In the days before picking up our mutt Maggie, I researched just about everything there is to know about puppies. I found myself losing sleep over questions like, What is the most nutritious puppy food? How often will she need to pee? What if she doesn’t like me? Will she agree to wear a sweater on special occasions? Well, when it came to brainstorming this week’s literary themed blog, I had puppies on the mind. To my surprise, the connection between children, reading, and dogs was not such a crazy association after all.

The word “therapy dog” often brings to mind visits to elderly. However, therapy dogs are also used to help children. All over the country, children struggle to read—and many feel self conscious about reading aloud to others. But what if kids could read to a totally unobtrusive, non-judgmental listener? And if dogs are man’s best friend, why can’t they be a child’s best reading buddy?

This was the very question that dawned on Sandi Martin, a board member of Intermountain Therapy
Animals, back in 1999. Martin speculated that the benefits that therapy animals have demonstrated in hospitals and schools might translate well to the reading environment. From there, Sandi and the ITA team went on to develop R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) which now has human/dog teams working with children all over the world.

Last week, we were lucky enough to chat with Lesley Pulsipher, the International R.E.A.D. Coordinator, and learn a bit more about the program. “Dogs are great listeners, and children enjoy reading to dogs because they never feel judged,” Pulsipher told us. “They don’t have to worry about the dog laughing at them if they make a mistake or correcting a mispronounced word. They aren’t told how fast or slow to read. It is their time and space to read with the dog on their own terms.”

And who better to ask about the benefits of the program than the kids themselves? Seven year old Jesse said of the program, “Last year in grade 1, I didn't know how to read. It didn't make me feel very good about myself. After I started to read to Chelsea I felt good. I like to read to her because she helps me with words and she's a good listener. Now I can read a lot of different books. That makes me very happy. My favorite thing I like about Chelsea is that she does cool tricks and barks to say ‘bye’ to me.”

At Learning Express, we also have a personal connection with the R.E.A.D. program. Clarisse Youmell (former Learning Express buyer and wife of our Creative Director, Dan) is an active volunteer with R.E.A.D. She and her dog, Jack, have helped many a struggling young reader.

“In my experience the kids are relaxed and at ease with Jack in a way they cannot be with a person,” Clarisse told us. “As a R.E.A.D. team Jack is the star. I am there to work on skills - but through Jack.  If the child stumbles or is having comprehension issues I might say ‘Can you read that part again to Jack - he is a little confused.’  I also taught Jack a ‘paw stay’ so that if the child needs to take a water or bathroom break Jack marks the place in the book with his paw until the child comes back.” Like many other volunteers, Clarisse has noticed marked changes in children’s confidence levels as a result of reading to dogs—confidence that extends well beyond their grasp of the written word.

We couldn’t resist asking Clarisse to share with us her very favorite moment as a R.E.A.D. volunteer. Here’s what she had to say: “During Jack's first session as a R.E.A.D. dog, my husband and I ran into the family of Jack's R.E.A.D. partner at a local restaurant. When the child saw me her eyes lit up and she said ‘Hi Jack's Mom! Please tell Jack I have been working on a new book to read him on Saturday.  I think he is going to really like it.’ That is when I knew the program really worked.  She didn't even know my name and was working outside the program to improve her reading, and she was looking forward to reading to Jack almost a week ahead.  Beautiful.” Beautiful indeed.

In December of 2011, Maurice Sendak had what would be his last interview with NPR. In their conversation, Sendak told Fresh Air host Terry Gross, "I am devoted to being an artist and a person who reads books for the rest of my life--for however long I have." In the wake of Sendak’s passing, we can’t help but be moved by the fact that children all over the world, with the help of an ever-so-gentle variety of Wild Thing, are discovering the joys of reading for themselves.

Talk to you again soon.

Summer Brainercize: The Summer Bridge Activities Workbooks

Greetings, Learning Expressions Readers!

With summer approaching, back-to-school season is probably the last thing on your mind. However, if you plan to battle what we like to call “summer brain drain”, then now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to keep your kid’s brain active during the summer months. Why, you may ask?

Well, come the start of the school year, you’ll ship your children off to school looking sharp in their newest outfits and equipped with a backpack full of freshly minted school supplies (certainly the only comforts on this very worst of days).  Here’s the problem: your kids may suffer from “First Day of School Hand-Quakes”. Allow me to elaborate: Third Grade. Mrs. Hawthorne’s Class. Room 306. Ray School Elementary. I picked up my newly sharpened #2 Lisa Frank unicorn pencil (thanks mom) only to find that my hand no longer seemed to recall how to write my own name; it rebelled at the thought and quivered uncontrollably with the very effort. Perhaps it should have come as no surprise, it had been occupied playing Marco Polo and creating peanut butter bird feeders and hurling flaming marshmallows at fellow campers all summer. The closest I’d gotten to writing my own name over the summer months was to scrawl a big “KB” on the bottom of my various paper mache creations.

Regrettably, things only got worse in Room 306 when we were handed a division worksheet. After Mrs. Hawthorne dismissed my protestations that I had ingested far too much bug spray over the summer months to count past the number 12 (I’d heard the stuff was ridiculously dangerous), I spent the remainder of the afternoon struggling to complete the assignment while ignoring the furious cramp swiftly developing in my writing hand. Honestly, I would have much preferred to be at home with my newly acquired tadpole collection.

Alas, though my young brain may have been addled during those warmer months, I think we can all attest to the fact that summer is made delightful by way of the simpler pleasures in life: enjoying the outdoors, spending time with family, going to bed grubby and exhausted from the adventures theday has brought.

•    Summer Brain Drain

Research from the Johns Hopkins National Summer Learning Association has confirmed that I wasn’t the only eight-year old struggling to wield my pencil come September 1. In fact, research from the last 100 years has proven that students consistently perform worse on standardized tests at the beginning of the school year than they do at the end of the previous school year. Additionally, the NSLA reveals that most students “lose about two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months”. While students from higher income families tend to show some improvement in reading comprehension over the summer months, those from lower income families tend to lose the equivalent of two months in reading achievement while out of school. These are certainly sobering facts, however I’m guessing the words “summer school” and “math camp” may be met in many of your households with screams of horror rather than of delight.

•    The Summer Bridge Solution

Learning Express Toys is invested in solutions that reconcile, rather than compromise, the connection
 between learning and fun. We are all for firefly catching and camping trips, but so too are we invested in the continual progression of children’s learning. With this in mind, our stores are proud to carry Summer Bridge Activities Workbooks. This series of activity books for grades Pre-K through Eight has a motto that we here at Learning Express love: “School Stops for Summer: Learning Never Should”.

Each workbook is approximately 150 pages and contains anything from reading, writing, math, science, and social studies exercises. A great feature of these books is that they don’t contain just new information, but review skills from the year before (that may have gotten a little rusty with all that swimming and firefly catching). The three sections in the workbook correspond to the traditional three months of summer vacation, and to achieve maximum results children should complete two activity pages each day. The pages are conveniently perforated so the book doesn’t need to be lugged around – two pages can easily be slipped into mom’s purse!

 

We particularly love that each Summer Bridge book comes with a recommended Summer Reading list, along with recommendations about how much time a child of that age should spend reading each day. Each book also comes with flashcards to help reinforce basic skills, and a certificate of completion to help you celebrate your child’s summer learning success.

 

•    The Best of Both Worlds

Quite simply, the Summer Bridge Workbooks offer the perfect compromise between summer fun and summer learning. The National Summer Learning Association has noted, “The most important thing to be concerned about for stemming or reversing summer learning loss is continual opportunities for learning during the summer months.” Summer Bridge Activities offer just such learning opportunities without depriving your kids of the joys of summer. They can be done at the kitchen table after a long day of capture-the-flag, just as easily as they can be done on long car journeys to Grandma’s. For us, the real beauty of these workbooks is that they keep your child’s brain active and limber while still allowing them to enjoy just being kids. Who wouldn’t love this kind of solution? I know all the Mrs. Hawthornes out there certainly will.

Talk to you again soon!